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{
    "id": 831114,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/831114/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 211,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Isiolo North, KPP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Hassan Hulufo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13348,
        "legal_name": "Hassan Oda Hulufo",
        "slug": "hassan-oda-hulufo-2"
    },
    "content": " Among the various functions listed in the Bill as functions of the CEC for agriculture in the county, is issuance of licences. My only concern is this: Is he going to make that decision as an individual or is there going to be some kind of a committee at that level also? Probably, those could be some of the things that could be provided for in the regulations when the council comes up with regulations guiding its operations. We know that if we leave the supervision of such a system – the licensing and the revocation if the licensed warehouses do not comply with the conditions of the licences – to the council and we expect that those warehouses will be spread across the county, it will not be easy. Therefore, bringing in the role of the county governments, especially the Department of Agriculture and the CEC is something which is very positive. Another important thing is that if a warehouse operator takes in the goods and issues receipts, and sometimes accidents can happen and those stored commodities can be destroyed through fire or other accidents, there is a provision of ensuring that the warehouse operator again insures whatever is stored in their warehouses. This is a good thing. Generally, I think if the system is implemented properly for the farmers of Kenya, especially now that the warehouses will not be public-owned warehouses but private sector-owned, it will serve them well. I am sure that the system will go a long way in helping farmers to earn more from their income. It will also help us to stabilise prices of agricultural goods because, at the moment, during the harvest seasons, because the market is flooded, the prices are suppressed and then there are times when the prices go up. Because they do not have good storage facilities, they are forced to dispose of their produce and earn less. This warehouse system is going to help us to store the surplus during bumper harvests. Across the seasons, it will help us stabilise the prices of agricultural goods. Another key thing about those warehouses, once the Bill is passed into to law they will help us reduce post-harvest losses. At the moment, post-harvest loses range between 15 to 20 per cent depending on the commodity that you are looking at, and those are very heavy losses. Therefore, with efficient, safe and a properly managed warehouse system, as a country, we are going to avoid those losses. The other issue which this Bill, once it is passed into law, will help us achieve is to make sure that our agricultural goods are graded properly and the proper weights and measurements are done properly. Again, this will make sure that our farmers are going to earn more from their The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}